Sweetened Drinks Linked To Depression In Older Adults

1/9/2013 1:13 PM ET

Sweetened beverages (e.g. soda pop) are linked to depression in older adults, while coffee and tea are linked to lower incidence of depression in the same demographic, according to a study done by Dr. Honglei Chen, a researcher with the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina and a member of the American Academy of Neurology (January 8).

The study surveyed 263,925 people between ages 50 and 71 years. From 1995 to 1996, consumption of drinks such as soda, tea, fruit punch and coffee was evaluated. At a 10-year follow-up, participants were asked whether they had been diagnosed with depression since the year 2000. A total of 11,311 depression diagnoses were made.

Those who drank more than four cups of soda per day were 30% more likely to be depressed than those who did not. Coffee drinkers who consumed more than four cups a day had a 10% less likely chance of contracting depression.

"Our research suggests that cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk," said Chen in a statement.

"More research is needed to confirm these findings, and people with depression should continue to take depression medications prescribed by their doctors."